


Bustopher Jones is a hero

by rozequartz_blackdragon



Series: Curious cats and Magical paws [1]
Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: Cats, Light-Hearted, Tragedy/Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:02:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22776088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rozequartz_blackdragon/pseuds/rozequartz_blackdragon
Summary: A short Backstory of the Magical Mister Mistoffelees and the mysterious snow-white Victoria, spanning back to their earliest kittenhood.Tiny and helpless, sibling kits Mistoffelees and Victoria are left close to death beside an old drainpipe during a hailstorm. When out of the shadows steps an uncanny saviour in the shape of a round, well-to-do Aristocrat: Bustopher Jones.What is a Cat so grand as Bustopher doing on this measly side of town? What is his relation to these two commonplace kittens? and indeed was it Bustopher Jones himself who played a hand in awakening the power of the soon-to-be Great Magician Mistoffelees? for there is more to the St. James's Street cat than just white spats and fine dining....
Series: Curious cats and Magical paws [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1638268
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50





	1. A Cradle for Marigold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good greetings to you,  
> I hope this story finds you well. I always liked the idea that Bustopher Jones was Mistoffeleeses uncle, plus going on the theory Misto and Victoria are siblings I decided that this origins story definitely had to have all three of them. I also had the idea that perhaps the prosperous Bustopher Jones had a little 'magic' of his own, which is perhaps why young Misto regards him so highly. Anyway I hope you enjoy it and indeed thank you for reading :)

It was a bitter cold night in mid-November. Autumn stood ready to hand over the streets of London to her Icey cold sister Winter, who had already cast a frosty spell over the city. On every window her ice had carved a mosaic, every road glistened with silver, and the tree spirits had long ago disappeared deep into the ground to keep warm in their roots.

  
Winter wanted to blanket the city in snow, but Autumn wanted otherwise. As the two stood in a stalemate, the sky began to hail instead.  
Nasty beads of ice began to beat down on the city of London and its people. The air was freezing and dry; and the hailstones made a constant, loud shattering noise as they hit the ground. It was like the angels above were ripping apart a million pearl necklaces.

  
It was on this very night, on a tiny corner of a tiny road, just besides an old drain… Unbeknownst to any other living being in the world; lay the dead body of a young female cat. And beneath her, were her two, now orphan kittens: Mistoffelees and Victoria.  
A human had carelessly crushed the young mother whilst driving around in one of those iron beasts they called ‘cars’ and within a second her life had been snuffed out. Just seconds before she had been lifting her babies on to the pavement, when she was suddenly encompassed by a bright yellow light… and then….  
The small tuxedo Mistoffelees and the pure white Victoria wailed and wailed. They wailed for help, they wailed in despair, they wailed in fear, but no one could hear them.  
The hailstones were cruel to the two frightened kittens. They continued to crash down on them, unforgivingly…  
Hopping off the pavement, the two nestled beneath their mothers’ body for warmth. They continued to make little chirping noises, neither understanding why she wouldn’t move. Now and again yet another of the terrifying ‘iron beasts’ howled past them and they both shrieked, getting even more soaked and scared.  
Victoria, who was a mute kitten could only whimper. She burrowed into her mothers’ fur.  
“Mummy please wake up…” Mistoffelees cried “We can’t stay here…. Mummy… Mummy please…”  
But their cries were in vain. And before long the two fell silent. As they started to comprehend, that their mother was not going to wake up.  
In that cold and terrible place, a couple of street cats peered out from the shadows to observe. Scenes like this were not uncommon on this side of town. Humans were ruthless, a cat’s life to them was as expendable as a copper coin. They could always get a new one.  
Stoically the cats came and went. They did feel a slight pang of sorrow for the kittens, but winter was coming. With no homes and no food of their own, they had no time to take in Kits that weren’t theirs. And as for the mother, well…. Some human would clear her away in the morning.  
As Mistoffelees and Victoria embraced one another for warmth, their breathing slowly started to get shallower, and their little heartbeats rang loud in their ears. It was so cold. So cold.  
Going by the laws of nature, the two of them would have died on that unforgiving night. Abandoned and alone. No one ever even knowing their names.  
But by the grace and mercy of the everlasting cat, an uncanny saviour appeared from out of the darkness; a large round tuxedo cat emerged.  
The cat stood tall and mighty against the elements, the cold useless against his thick black coat of fur. He had a dignified face and sturdy frame. He stood almost nobly at the edge of the alleyway overlooking the road.  
The cat in question… was none other than the famous Bustopher Jones. A prestigious and respected feline; Known all around London by both humans and cats alike. He was commonly referred to as the one and only ‘St James’s Street’ cat.  
Once a lowly street kit… Bustopher had become a naval cat in his youth, he worked his way up amongst the ranks and had become a great hero during the war. Now retired, he owned a number of gentle-cats clubs about town, and He had even gotten into some of the human gentlemen’s clubs!  
He was a respected veteran and a gentle cat. Worshipped by both lower- and upper-class cats alike… for Bustopher was best known for his good humour and generous soul (plus his considerable size which seemed to go up and up)  
But what was someone like him doing on this miserable side of town? At this time of night?  
A curious ginger Tom who had been watching from behind a dustbin, was surprised by the famous cat’s sudden appearance and stepped out. “Sir. Bustopher Jones…”  
The gentle cat stared speechless for a moment at the scene before him.  
“What happened here?” He asked frankly.  
The Tom looked over at the dead queen “…young mum got hit by one of them iron beasts. She was a pretty little thing. She’d gone out to save her kits. Some human had chucked them in the drain, she got them out all right but she….” He didn’t have to say any more.  
Another Iron beast roared by and the two Toms continued to stare.  
“She was a pretty little thing, very sweet. Bit naïve, mind… never left the house. Marigold I think her name was. She-…”  
"She was my sister" Another iron beast swept past. The ginger Tom gazed up at the forlorn gentle cat in shock. “Oh…” he said and lowered his head “I’m so sorry, sir…”  
Bustopher didn’t say anything more to the ginger Tom. He crossed the road to where his younger sister Marigold lay.  
Just like the tom said, Marigold had indeed been a sweet and gentle cat in life. She was quiet, kind and thoughtful, almost like an angel.  
She had been a few moons younger than her older brother; born as a runt amongst the third of their mothers’ litters. From the minute they touched noses, Marigold had been the most precious of Bustophers’ siblings. Even going so far as to take her with him when he wandered off in search of his fortune.  
When he had left to join the navy, Bustopher had left Marigold in the care of one of the human sailors’ wives, whom at the time had been very kind. And it was in front of said sailors house where he was standing now.  
Had he have known back then that they’d one day betray Marigold like this, he would never have left her there.  
Bustopher always went to check up on Marigold. He went to her more frequently than he did any of his clubs.  
In fact, it was about a half hour earlier, around the exact time Marigold had shot out the door of her little house in a panic to save her kits from drowning; that Bustopher had been hit with the sudden urge that he had to go to her.  
He had abruptly gotten up from his favourite spot in the club and ran out of the door. Something was wrong. He knew it in the way that only a cat would. He felt ‘danger’ in every fibre of his being… Marigold needed him.  
And so Bustopher ran to her. As he was running to her… Marigold was crying, desperately fighting torrents of water to reach the little sack where her babies were trapped and howling.  
He ran to her. Marigolds claws finally managed to hook the sack before it was washed too far from her reach.  
He ran to her. Straining her frail little paws, Marigold slowly started to pull the sack up towards her.  
He ran to her. With her fangs, Marigold ripped the sack open and lifted her sweet kittens up on to the pavement; her heart was pounding. Then there was a noise.  
He ran to her. And in that moment two large monstrous eyes loomed over the helpless Marigold who spun around in fear.  
He ran to her. He ran and ran….  
But he wasn’t fast enough.  
“Oh, sweet Marigold….” He softly laid a paw on her face. “My darling sister… what have those humans done to you?”.  
He stared down and took a step back in shock. Beneath her there were two tiny bundles. The kittens!  
Bustopher dropped down beside them at once. Bustopher, the well-to-do gentle cat with the impeccable sleek black coat and white spats dropped down on to the filthy pavement. He didn’t care about any of that now, not in this moment. His heart was pounding.  
“Oh no! Oh, everlasting cat! … Please no…” they were so tiny… and it was so cold! “please let them be alright…” he prayed as he reached out a paw…. If he had been too late to save them as well. Then he might as well join them.  
Victoria had long lost consciousness and was curled up in a small white ball, shielded by Mistoffelees. The small Tom, who was also starting to fade out, snuffled the air and turned his head. That scent…  
“Uncle…. Bustopher?”  
The kit looked up through half lidded eyes at the large Tuxedo cat who regarded him in return. The Uncle and nephew stared at one another for a good moment, before Bustopher let out a low yowl of relief. He smiled and touched noses with Mistoffelees.  
“You remember me? You were blind and pink when we last met”  
“Oh… Uncle! Uncle!!”  
Mistoffelees, weak as he was raised his paws at the sight of their saviour and wrapped them around the larger cat’s neck who smiled softly, nuzzling him back.  
“Dear boy… Dear, Dear boy…”  
Bustopher held the poor baby Tom close. His little fur coat was soaked through and through, his tiny body was like ice.  
Bustopher didn’t waste a moment. He gathered both the small Tuxedo Kitten and the small White kitten in his arms. The hail was only getting stronger and they couldn’t stay. He knew what he had to do now.  
“Precious Marigold…” Bustopher spoke to his sister softly, as if she were only sleeping. “Don’t you worry, now. I’ll keep the kittens safe. Everlasting cat! I’ll even raise them myself. As long as I live and breathe these two will be mine. I will not abandon them. Not ever” And kneeling down, he placed a gentle kiss on his sister’s cheek. It would be the last time that he’d see her.  
Slowly he got up and his face changed from a soft, caring older brother to that of stern navy veteran. He cast a sharp eye to the onlooking Tom. “You there” He bellowed.  
The ginger cat quickly stepped forward. “Aye, Governor”  
“I will not have my sister thrown in a bag by some human and dumped in a skip somewhere to rot. Do you hear me? You and those other loiterers are to dig up that apple tree in the garden over yonder and bury her beneath it. It was her favourite place in life, and it shall be her final resting place in her eternal slumber. Understand? I shall know If you don’t carry this through. Do I make myself clear? Marigold will not be left to rot. I won’t stand for it.”  
“Aye, Sir.” The ginger Tom bobbed his head. He turned to the two other cats lurking in the shadows “Come on, lads. Let’s give the lass a proper burial. Poor girl….”  
Quick to move, all three of them gathered around Marigold and gently lifted her up and over the garden wall as Bustopher Jones had commanded.  
He watched as they slipped quietly over the wall with Marigold. The kittens shivered and he lifted them on to his broad back. He didn’t have time to hang around. “I’ll keep them safe.” He repeated. And with Victoria and Mistoffelees safe on his sturdy back, Bustopher Jones turned and plodded away into the night.


	2. A bizarre ocean of hind legs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bustopher carries the kittens off to somewhere safe, but to get to where they have to go. They have to travel through a sea of hind legs and elongated paws. This is human territory.

“M-Mummy?... Mummy?.” Mistoffelees whimpered, half delirious. His body bobbed softly from side to side as his uncle continued to walk down the pitch-black Alleyways of London. The small kitten was so cold and hungry he could hardly feel his paws let alone care for where he was being taken.  
“Easy now…” Bustopher Jones breathed “I’m taking you to one of my holiday homes, but first; you need food. You’re like a wet noodle”  
They had been plodding along slowly for about half an hour, the hail had let up only a few moments ago. And Bustophers back was warm and soft for the kittens, like a walking electric blanket.   
“But… Mummy…” Mistoffelees cried. Bustopher faltered but did not reply. “Is she still asleep back there…?”   
Bustopher came to a stop. Oh, everlasting cat. How could he tell the poor child? Should he tell him? COULD he tell him? Would the child even understand? Bustopher even at his age couldn’t quite comprehend the ways of the great cat in the sky sometimes; and why it would stand by and allow Marigold to have been taken at her young age. At times like this, he even questioned whether there WAS a cat in the sky….  
“Your mother….” He began. “She has given you and your sister to me for a while. She told me to take care of you.” He started up his walk again. He let out a pained sigh, for though he would never show it, the loss of Marigold had stuck deep in his heart like an arrow. He’d avoid the subject gently for now at least.  
“Will Mummy pick us up later?”  
Everlasting cat.  
“U-Uh! Boy, Be quiet. We’ll talk later. We’re going through Pollicle territory and we can’t have them hearing us” Bustopher lied quickly. Oh dear… he was starting to fear he wasn’t very good with children, he forgot how many questions they asked. Um…   
“What is a Pollicle?”  
Winkles and Shrimps.  
“D-Dah-! Y-you know, boy! A- A Pollicle! A huffery snuffery, slobbery yobbering wagging tail creature. They come in all shapes and sizes, with all different ears and they make those awful barking noises. Surely you’ve at least heard of A Pollicle?” Marigold really had kept them locked away from the world. Then they were just babies. Oh, so much to teach!  
“Oh, do you mean what the humans call a ‘dog’?” Mistoffelees had clambered up his uncles back to sit and look down over his nose.  
“U-uh, Yes! A Dog…” Phew, so he wasn’t so naïve after all, that would save long explanations. “We Cats refer to them as Pollicles, however.” Bustopher stopped beneath a large black dustbin to stare up cross eyed into the face of his little nephew.   
Know he looked up into them, he realised Mistoffelees had gigantic eyes. His pupils were dilated from being in the darkness, but he could make out one eye was blue and the other green. As Bustopher stared awkwardly into them Mistoffelees managed a cheeky grin.  
“I see you’ve regained some of your strength young chap”  
“Your back is nice and warm uncle”  
“I see? Well that’s good. Now sit back so I can see where I’m going will you, there’s a lad.” Mistoffelees did as he was told and shimmied backwards. He continued the ride bobbing along between Uncle Bustophers ears. Victoria still sleeping peacefully behind him.  
After a few more alley ways, they came into a main high street which was well lit with golden gas lamps. It felt warmer here, perhaps because it was full of life? Mistoffelees stared in wonderment at all the humans walking around on their freakishly long hind legs and the cornucopia of lights and sounds. It was a mid-winter night market.  
His little nose snuffled as it was overrun with different scents, some nasty and chemically, others smelt like food. It was all a lot to take in. This was his first time going further than the back garden. It was a bit scary.  
He flattened himself on top of his Uncle and lowered his ears. That way the humans wouldn’t see him. He didn’t want them to hurt him and put him in a sack again. Uncle Bustopher was very brave and fearsome to walk so boldly among the long dangly beasts. Perhaps one day Mistoffelees would be that big and brave too.  
Maybe Uncle Bustopher had actually eaten a few humans and that’s why they feared him and left him alone. Yes. That must be why. It would also explain why his Uncle Bustopher was so round.  
Just then there came a terrible racket from just above them.   
“Aaaah Look! That mummy cat is carrying her babies on her back!”  
“Oh yes! How sweet”  
“Wow… I’ve never seen a mother cat carry her young like that before… how interesting”  
“What”. Bustopher came to an abrupt standstill smack-bang in front of the onlooking humans; much to Mistoffeleeses horror. He made himself flat as pancake.  
Bustopher looked up directly into the eyes of the glowering beast above him. “How dare you. Are you implying a Tom of my stature is a feeble queen? I should scratch your eyes out as they’re clearly defective. Look at me again” He puffed out his chest and narrowed his eyes. “I am the biggest tom on the block. Nay. The whole world!”  
(Bustopher, while a gentle soul at heart did not suffer insults. He did NOT like being referred to as a mother cat.)  
“Hello little mother, may I stroke one of your kittens?” The creature reached out its ugly, smelly misshapen paw and Bustopher hissed. Ugh! He took off at a surprising speed. Disgusting creature! How dare it call him a queen and then try and touch him!  
“How rude!” He went scampering through the town.  
“Run Uncle! Run!” Mistoffelees held on to his uncle’s ears as they darted through the ocean of hind legs. The small tom had to reach back and hold on to Victoria with his back claws at one point to stop her from flying off. It was at this point Victoria finally began to open her eyes.   
“Oh! Oh!” Bustopher puffed. He was not cut out for running with kittens on his back. He’d been running too much that night already.  
The large cat came to a stop in front of a very delicious smelling building and patted slowly around the corner towards the back entrance. The Building; was a fish restaurant. Bustopher was hyperventilating.   
“Winkles and Shrimps!” He gasped, throwing Mistoffelees and Victoria on to a sandbag before rolling on to his back.   
It was at this point Victoria was fully awake and staring in wide eyed confusion at the scene before her. Whatever had gone on while she had been sleeping?  
“I say Uncle, that was really brave and fast!” Mistoffelees sat on his little behind and waved his paws in the air. Running through the town like that had been the most exhilarating experience in his life so far. What fun! Uncle Bustopher was amazing! Like a hero cat!  
“Yes well….” Bustopher puffed with his legs sticking comedically into the air “B-Back in the day…. that was only half of how fast I could run….” He lay there for a good five minutes looking like a roast turkey.  
Mistoffelees and Victoria wiggled their noses around and scanned their new environment. It smelt good. Like fish and chicken and herbs of some kind. They had had a few herbs growing in the garden back home, but these herbs were new to them. The only two they could identify in the air were coriander and parsley, and perhaps a hint of sage. So many new smells.  
Getting up they both pattered off the sandbag and peered around the corner of the building, tails swaying. There was a door and a large window through which a golden light spilled on to the little courtyard. There were two large skips there and three small steps beneath the door. On the steps. Was a Human.   
It was sitting with its head in its hands, between its fingers was a smoking white twig. It reared its ugly head and let out a long deep breath of smoke. So, they breathe fire now??  
At the sight of the fire breathing human the little ones yelped and shot back over to the safety of their Uncle who was still in a dying-swan position.  
“Uncle! Uncle! There’s a fire breathing human!” Mistoffelees pawed at his Uncles belly to get his attention. Victoria seeing this, also took a tiny paw and shook Bustophers stomach. It rolled about. Oooh… that’s nice. This was funny.  
“S-stop that now…” Bustopher huffed. After regaining his resting heartbeat, he rolled on to his feet before he could lose any more of his dignity, and the kittens scattered backwards as he stood.   
Victoria now had a small smile on her face. She felt safe with her Uncle here. He was big and kind and roley-poley.  
“That’s no fire breathing human. That thing he is holding is called a ‘cigarette’ Humans like to chew on them and inhale the smoke”  
“Why would it do that?”  
“I’m not sure. I assume it’s for the same reason cats like to chew on shoelaces or books from time to time. It’s unproductive yet comforting”   
“Mm…. I like shoelaces”  
“Well I’m afraid we’ll have to squash that dirty habit if you are to become gentle cats one day. Now, follow me…”  
Bustopher confidently plodded around the corner towards the puffing human, showing no fear whatsoever.   
However, before he could make his way into the courtyard, he heard two distressed mews from behind him. He shot back around to see Mistoffelees and Victoria cowering behind the sandbags. Their paws over their eyes and their tails trembling.  
“N-Now now, you two… don’t be silly…” Bustopher made his way back to his niece and nephew, shaking his head. “You won’t get far in life cowering like mice. You are CATS. Proud, regal, elegant, unashamed” Taking a large paw he nudged them, but they were like little rocks.  
“N-No! They’ll beat us! They’ll put us in a sack!”  
“Oh, come now. Would your old Uncle Bustopher take you near any dangerous humans? I say my dears let me tell you… I’d scratch their faces to bloody ribbons before they could so much as raise a paw to you. Not all humans are bad. In fact, some of them can be very generous.”   
The siblings looked up through hesitant paws.  
Bustopher sighed. It had only taken one human to scar the poor children in front of him for life. It would take a lot to get them to trust the tall creatures ever again.   
Even worse, the ‘holiday home’ which he planned to take them to belonged to a pair of rich elderly humans. He knew that this human pair would care for the kittens, miles better than their previous human handlers had. But with the siblings like this, how would they cope? Even worse if the humans found the kittens to be hostile and/or unresponsive they’d most likely call the animal catcher and take them away!  
Oh goodness, he couldn’t have that. No, He had to teach them to get used to humans.  
(There was of course the less desirable option of taking them be raised in the junkyard… But this was Bustopher Jones we’re talking about here. He wanted his niece and nephew to be raised like royalty.)  
Bustopher swished his tail pensively. How could he show them that humans weren’t all bad? How could he reintroduce them? He’d need a miracle, he needed magic… wait…  
Aha! Of course!  
“Mistoffelees…. Victoria….” Bustopher smiled knowingly “Would you like to see a magic trick?”


	3. A magical kitten made of starlight awakens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bustopher Jones has magical powers??  
> what will this revelation awaken in the young kittens?

“A Magic trick?” The sibling’s ears perked up. Mistoffelees especially.  
“Yes. A magic trick. Shall I show you?” Uncle Bustopher smiled softly. He was a clever old cat if he did say so himself. What better way to help warm the children to humans than with some good old-fashioned ‘magic’?  
The two kittens sat up slowly, both of them slowly filling with childlike wonderment “are you one of the real magical cats’, uncle?”  
“A Real magical cat? Me? Oh no! ha ha… It’s just a slight of paw really. Every cat can do a little bit of magic to some degree, nothing flashy, mind. REAL Magical cats that can fly, disappear and cast spells are exceedingly rare. They say there is only one truly magical cat born to the world every ten hundred moons.”  
Mistoffelees large eyes twinkled. His mother had told him stories of the real magical cats of times long ago. Marigold told many stories to her kits, but the ones about magicians called to the small Mistoffelees most. Mistoffelees could listen to the old myths until dawn. For some reason… tales of ancient powers and secret words made his soul shiver, and filled him with feelings of both excitement and an unexplainable nostalgia…  
“Please may you show us your magic uncle?” Mistoffelees and Victoria sat neatly with their paws folded like good little kittens.  
Bustopher chortled and puffed out his wide chest. Kittens really were rather charming at this tender believing age.  
With a proud wave of his tail he winked at them “Just you watch this…”  
Bustopher then made a confident turn and swaggered towards the kitchen door where the deflated looking human sat.  
The kittens watched as Bustopher entered the light as if stepping into a golden spotlight. The human looked up and the kittens held their breath. Was it going to hurt uncle Bustopher?  
Bustopher Jones did not falter. As he sat before the human he was poised and elegant; he gazed proudly at the long creature like a lion overlooking its pride.  
“You there. Human” Bustopher thundered mightily.  
The human stared at the round cat before long its long thin mouth curled upwards into a smile. “Hello you!”  
Mistoffelees and Victoria simultaneously gasped and shrunk back. Oh, dear cat in the sky. Uncle Bustopher was ACTUALLY talking to a human! Was he going to be alright? Should they run?? The two of them held paws.  
“’Tis I…” He proudly declared. The human reached out its long twig-like paw. Incredibly Bustopher sat still and allowed it to touch his head.  
Victoria shook her head in disbelief as her Uncle remained still at the humans’ close contact. It was almost like the human was docile.  
“Meow, Meow, Meow?” The human babbled strangely. It took them a moment to realise that it was not in fact speaking in tongues but trying to imitate their ‘cat’ language. It bared its square teeth and started fondly ruffling Bustophers back.  
“OH, GREAT CAT IN THE SKY.” Mistoffelees breathed in horror as Bustopher actually snuzzled the hand back!  
“’Meow-Meow’ to you too. Now then. What are you sitting out here for? You seem lost, human? Have you perhaps forgotten your purpose in life?”  
“Who’s a big cat? Are you a hungry boy? Do you want din-dins?” The human grinned and grinned.  
“Indeed. Shall I remind you of why you were born, big soppy creature? You were put on earth solely to feed us cats. What an honour, eh? Doesn’t that make you feel better? Good. Now then: ” With a unashamedly feline smile, Bustopher Jones rolled over on to his back and lifted his paws high into the moonlit night. This was it.  
“Feed me.”  
The human stood up as if it had been hit by some invisible lightning!  
“GUYS! BRING OUT SOME FISH PLATTERS AND A SMALL BOWL OF CURRY! GOOD OLD ROLEY IS BACK!”  
Mistoffelees and Victoria gaped. It couldn’t be. The human had been hypnotised! The magic worked! It had really worked! MAGIC WAS REAL.  
Within seconds the humans inside the building let out what could only be described as an elated war cry and quicker than a blink a small group of them quickly filed out and Bustopher was presented with a small cat-sized fish banquet.  
They even brought out a small board which they set up as a table for him, complete with a small white tablecloth. It was clear they loved to have the cat around, in fact he was the highlight of their evening! They brought out small snippets of many different fish as Bustopher sat there like a roman emperor. Salmon, trout, pufferfish, ling, haddock, lemon sole, cod and even catfish (ironically).  
The humans each presented their small offerings and each in turn rubbed Bustophers glorious white belly, which he allowed them. It was as though he brought good luck and fortune and all those who rubbed his tummy would be blessed. After a good amount of fussing, the humans retreated back into the building to leave their great demi-god ‘Roly’ to dine in peace. They looked out of the window in delight to watch him.  
Bustopher sat back on his haunches triumphantly. He looked like a roman emperor.  
“Well then, Kittens…. How was that?”  
He looked over into the shadows were Mistoffelees and Victoria still sat in awe of their magical uncle. That had been incredible. Mistoffelees pattered forward cautiously one paw at a time. Victoria right behind him.  
“U-Uncle…. That was…”  
“Ah… all in a day’s work boy.” Bustopher waved a paw humbly before leaning down to tuck into the charbroiled catfish in front of him. The fish had been cooked to perfection and it been seasoned just to his taste. “Come along now, let’s eat. It’ll warm you up in no time”  
Mistoffelees hesitated and looked up into the window of the building. As he thought. The things were still watching. Victoria noticed them too and buried her face in her brother. They couldn’t go over there after all. They were sure to be captured.  
“You can do it too, you know.”  
“Hm?” Mistoffelees glanced at his uncle in confusion.  
“The magic. You have it too, my boy” He licked his whiskers between speaking “Even you Victoria”  
Mistoffelees considered what his uncle had said. That Magic has been incredible. Could a plain, boring, common lower-class town kitten like himself really wield magic too?  
Mistoffelees felt something stir within him in that moment. Something light and silvery, like a little cat made of starlight blinking itself awake. Magic…. Magic…  
Mistoffelees shivered. “Magic…. I can do magic...” He thought to himself plainly; he suddenly felt this affirmation run right through him. Like an epiphany. He declared it to himself as truthfully and as honestly as he could declare that he was a cat. “I can do magic….” every time he whispered it within his heart, he felt as though he were glowing brighter and brighter….  
Without so much as a mew, Mistoffelees walked with a grace he had never felt before out of the shadows and towards the light of the kitchens.  
Victoria mewed and held out a paw to him. He paused only to nod at her reassuringly and carried onward confidently. Possessed by a newfound power.  
It was in this fated moment; That the soon to be ‘Magical Mister Mistofelees’ would perform his very first ever magical trick.  
He was now standing directly beneath the window in full view of the humans.  
He took a deep breath of the cold night air and closed his eyes. “I can do magic”. And then, like the snow drifting down softly to earth, the small kitten rolled softly on to his tiny back and raised his paws as his uncle had before him.  
“Please, may I have some dinner?”  
…..  
…..  
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  
“OH MY GOD A KITTEN! A KITTEN! ROLEY BROUGHT A KITTEN WITH HIM! HURRY! GET SOME MILK! BRING HIM A BOTTLE!”  
“EEEEEK! A KITTEN!”  
“OH MY GOD! ITS SO CUTE!”  
“OH MY GOD, LOOK…. THERES ANOTHER ONE OVER THERE! LOOK! A WHITE ONE!”  
Mistoffelees eyes opened wide. He’d done it! He had the power too, now!  
The humans practically went mad at the glory of Mistofeleeses awesome magical power.  
Bustopher chuckled to himself as he ate. ‘That’s my nephew’


	4. ...And a new life, will begin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a lovely evening at the human restaurant. Bustopher takes his niece and nephew to their new home where their new lives will begin...

Around the back of the “Blue Ocean” fish restaurant; a short walk from ‘Victoria grove’ on a cold mid-November night. A well-built Tuxedo cat was joyously finishing off his fifth plate of fish whilst just across from him; safely within paws reach, were his little niece and nephew who were both suckling baby bottles of milk.  
Mistoffelees and Victoria chewed on the bottles happily as their starving bellies filled with delicious warm milk. The bottles held steadily by two smiling chefs who lovingly watched the tiny kittens drink.  
It was only a minute ago that Victoria and Mistoffelees were petrified of humans, to the point they couldn’t even move their paws. But now, after a little encouragement from Great Uncle Bustopher and a little ‘magic’; the two young ones had mustered the courage to finally approach the elongated creatures.  
The chefs smiled softly, glancing at each other with glee. They didn’t reach out to touch the kitten siblings as they could tell from a distance by the way they shook that they were nervous. So, the two of them respectfully kept their hands away from the miniature cats. Though they were so incredibly cute, the desire to stroke them was almost unbearable.  
After finishing off his tenth and final dish with relish, Bustopher Jones licked his lips and nodded in approval. “That. Was. Scrumptious.”  
Very delicious indeed he thought. He was tempted to have dessert, but the children needed to go home to bed soon. They had made their way through two bottles now and were beginning to fall asleep. He smiled at them “Alright now, come along you two. Let’s away to bed”  
Mistoffelees worked his sleepy way through the last sips of his bottle whilst Victoria snuffled at the humans’ paw. It was so long and spindly.  
It had been a thrilling evening for the kittens, full of discovery and adventure. And with a faraway clock chiming 11 o’clock, it was without a doubt bedtime.  
Mistoffelees hiccupped and sleepily pattered over to his uncle. After the huge breakthrough that even a small kitten like himself possessed a tinge of magic; the tiny Mistoffelees was more than wiped out from the evening. He had grown in himself within the last few hours, he was now filled with a confidence he never knew he had thanks to visiting the humans.  
Even the anxious little Victoria had grown within the past hour. Once a shy, muted little kitten who won’t to hide behind her brother or her mother at even the sound of a pin dropping; Victoria now felt brave enough to give the strange creatures paw a ‘goodbye’ lick before scampering back to Uncle Bustopher.  
The two of them clambered up on to his back and held on tightly as he stood.  
“Alright now, While the humans may be ugly and unintelligent, they do provide us with fine food and warmth. They were good to us tonight, so we must offer thanks where thanks is due. Say ‘Thank you for our lovely tea and goodbye’”  
“Goodbye Humans. Thank you for our lovely tea” Mistoffelees waved his paw.  
Victoria waved and waved as the Bustopher express turned to go. The humans also called goodbye in their language. Uncle Bustophers’ visit coupled with the meeting of the kittens had been a blessing to them also.  
“I say Victoria, dear… you haven’t uttered a word all night, are you feeling well?” Bustopher began as he slowly made his way through the night.  
He had noticed the young queens silence not long after she had woken up earlier. Whenever Bustopher had addressed the siblings, it was always Mistoffelees who would answer for them. Not out of any kind of arrogance, mind. On the contrary… Mistoffelees was ever so respectful and had a soft voice and polite mannerisms; plus, Victoria never showed any signs of offence when he spoke for her. In fact, she almost looked over to him to be the one to answer.  
Bustopher thought back to visiting them when they were just day-old Kits. Even then the two of them had been very quiet for new borns, even their snuffling was hushed. They must have gotten their soft temperament from their mother. Cats show their personalities from early on, and back then Bustopher could indeed tell that Mistoffelees was going to be a cat of few words. However, put him next to little Victoria, he came across as the chatty type. For Victoria never even gave so much as a mew.  
“Oh, she’s never said a word, Uncle. She can’t speak. She’s been like that since the day she was born. She has trouble with her hearing, she can only hear things within a reach of her paw.” Mistoffelees once again was the one to explain peering down through his uncle’s ears.  
“Oh… oh dear...” So little Victoria’s silence was because she was slightly deaf.  
“There were three older kittens next door to our house…” Mistoffelees sighed “They bullied her. They’d sneak up and bat her because they knew she wouldn’t hear them coming. Or sometimes they’d pull her tail. She got so scared she wouldn’t go outside. I’m worried their taunting made her even worse”. Victoria shrunk back at the memory and Mistoffelees patted her. She could hear her brother just about as he was right beside her. She didn’t like hearing sad things.  
“Ugh, Little devils. I hope you gave them a beating, lad”  
“I didn’t beat them Uncle, but I did happen to lift the latch on the gooses pen whilst they were lazing about in the courtyard. Geese make truly great weapons.”  
Bustopher chuckled at his nephews strategic thinking. “Well played, well played. Jolly good”  
Victoria had gone still. Bustopher, though he couldn’t see her on his back could feel her spirit had suddenly fallen. Oh dear, this conversation had brought things up…  
Ah… the world could be so punishing. It’s hard enough to be a female cat in this world, Bustopher thought; Let alone one who could not hear nor speak….  
Poor little Victoria had no voice, she’d been betrayed and nearly murdered by the humans who were supposed to love and protect her, and now she had lost her mother.  
He sighed, his heart now sinking slightly. He hid it well, but deep down he was grieving just like them. While their time at the restaurant earlier had been wonderful, it sadly would never be enough to make their past tragedies just disappear.  
He tried not to think about his sister Marigold. But the more he tried the more he could hear her sweet voice, the clearer he could see her smile. He couldn’t think about her now, for if he did, he would break. And he could not under any circumstances do that in front of the kittens. No. He had to be strong for them.  
I must focus on them now, and only them. I promised. I promised Marigold that I’d give them good lives despite their hardships.  
He decided instead to look ahead and pondered the future of the two young’uns as he walked. Mistoffelees was most likely going to grow to be an average if slightly small Tuxedo cat; Bustopher could easily teach him how to be a proper gentle-cat and would soon have him as an upstanding cat in society. He was no problem. But little Victoria was another matter entirely….  
He worried about her. Life was tougher for queens. MORE SO when you were born with a rare white coat and had no voice.  
Victoria was a pure white queen; pure white queens were coveted and in turn that made them….’desirable’. Bustopher suddenly imagined her reaching adulthood and faltered; he knew what grown Toms were like, even high-class Toms from his side of town could be…. Well…. devious.  
“Everlasting cat!” he thought…. A beautiful mysterious white queen with no voice. She’d be like a voiceless angel with pale blue eyes from a fairy tale!  
Winkles and shrimps! She was going to be beautiful beyond compare! And ethereal to boot! She was going to drive every Tom from here to tower bridge mad with love!  
He suddenly felt dizzy. Oh goodness the toms! The TOMS! He could hear them clawing at the door now. Yowling and hollering. Oh No…. oh no, oh no….  
“Mistoffelees and I will have no choice but to lock her up and patrol the house on a daily basis….” He walked along with a catatonic look on his face in the cat world he was carrying the equivalent of a real ‘princess’ on his back.  
“Pardon, Uncle?” Mistoffelees peered down over his nose.  
“U-Uh, I said we’re almost at my holiday home.” He stuttered. He came to a large town house and nosed open the gate. Slowly but surely, he made his way up the stone pathway towards a grand door painted blue, in the bottom left corner was a little golden door just the right size for a cat. Before he entered, he stopped for a bit and decided he should end the night on a good note.  
Victoria was still in her gloom and if she was sad, then Bustopher was sad too. After all, he had promised her mother he would make sure he raised them to be happy. The kittens hopped off his back.  
Gently, Bustopher leant in next to his nieces’ ear and spoke softly in his deep comforting voice. “Now see here my Darling girl, even if you never speak, you’re perfect just the way you are. You are a little diamond, a gentle snow-white angel. Always remember that. You and your brother are my absolute pride and joy.”  
Victoria’s eyes widened and she contemplated this for a while. She had never been complimented by anyone except her mother and brother, and because of that never really believed them as she thought they were just being kind to her.  
Poor, dumb, runty little Victoria. That was who she was. Or so it had seemed. But if someone as grand and famous as The Bustopher Jones; her very own Uncle said she was Valuable… then maybe… just maybe….  
Victoria looked up at her uncle and gave a big smile. Her eyes were like cool blue lakes and she tilted her head to the side, beaming. The way she moved was like the snow falling.  
Thank you, Uncle. She spoke with her eyes.  
Bustopher smiled and touched his nose to hers.  
And so, the three cats clambered through the little door into the town house as the moon sat high in the midnight sky.  
When the sunlight would touch through the glass windows in the morning the two humans would be greeted with the sight of two new lives asleep beside Bustopher in his basket. But that was okay, for he knew they would love them at once.  
The large Tuxedo cat nestled down in his huge basket, his baby niece and nephew safely beside him and he closed his eyes. Before he went to sleep, he offered up a prayer of thanks to the everlasting cat for sparing these precious souls. They’d be safe here with him, now. And when the dawn came… a new life would begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh~ so all's well that ends well for the little family of fluffballs. If you made it this far then I hoped you enjoyed the kittens' adventure. I believe they'll go out and visit the junkyard a little later, but for now at least the siblings Misto and Victoria are going to be pampered pets (hence their glossiness later on in life)   
> Thank you very much for reading. I hope you liked it :)


End file.
